Cable overload device

ABSTRACT

A cable overload device for a cable-actuated drain system having a drain valve assembly and a drain control assembly where the cable includes a driving end connected to the control assembly and a driven end. The overload device includes a plunger, a linking member, a sleeve, and an energy absorber. The plunger is configured to be coupled to the driven end of the cable. The linking member is configured to move the drain valve assembly between open and closed positions. The sleeve includes a bore that extends from a first side to a second side of the sleeve, wherein the bore is configured to receive the plunger through the first side and to receive the linking member through the second side. The energy absorber is provided in the bore between the plunger and the linking member to absorb a force imposed into the linking member from the drain valve assembly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/525,049, which was filed on Aug. 18, 2011.U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/525,049 is incorporated byreference herein its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates generally to the field of drain systemsfor use in bathing tubs. More specifically, the present applicationrelates to an improved drain system capable of being activated by eitherof interchangeable linear and rotary activators.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to a cable overload device for a cable-actuateddrain system that includes a drain valve assembly and a drain controlassembly where the cable includes a driving end connected to the controlassembly and a driven end. The overload device includes a plunger, alinking member, a sleeve, and an energy absorber. The plunger isconfigured to be coupled to the driven end of the cable. The linkingmember is configured to move the drain valve assembly between open andclosed positions. The sleeve includes a bore that extends from a firstside to a second side of the sleeve, wherein the bore is configured toreceive the plunger through the first side and to receive the linkingmember through the second side. The energy absorber is provided in thebore between the plunger and the linking member to absorb a forceimposed into the linking member from the drain valve assembly.

Another embodiment relates to a drain valve system for a fixture, suchas a bathing tub. The drain valve system includes a housing, a drainstopper, a lever, a cable, and a cable overload device. The housing isconfigured to mount to a wall of the fixture and includes an opening.The drain stopper is configured to move within the opening between anopen position and a closed position. The lever is pivotally coupled tothe housing and includes a first arm and a second arm, where the firstarm is configured to move the drain stopper upon rotation of the lever.The cable includes a driven end and a driving end that is connected to adrain control assembly configured to move the cable. The cable overloaddevice includes a plunger, a linking member, a sleeve, and an energyabsorber. The plunger is coupled to the driven end of the cable. Thelinking member includes a first end and a second end coupled to thesecond arm of the lever, such that movement of the linking memberrotates the lever. The sleeve includes a first side that receives thedriven end and a second side that receives the linking member. Theenergy absorber is disposed between the plunger and the linking memberto absorb a force imposed into the linking member from the drainstopper.

Yet another embodiment relates to a cable overload device for acable-actuated drain system that includes a drain stopper and a controlassembly. The overload device includes a cable, a linking member, asleeve, and an energy absorber. The cable includes a driven end and adriving end connected to the control assembly, which is configured tomove the cable. The linking member is configured to move the drainstopper between an open position and a closed position. The sleeveincludes a first side that receives the driven end and a second sidethat receives the linking member. The energy absorber is providedbetween the driven end and the linking member to absorb a force imposedinto the linking member from the drain stopper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drain system, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the drain system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is cross-sectional view of the control assembly of the drainsystem, shown without the actuator engaging the housing.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the actuator being moved intoengagement with the housing of the control assembly.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the control assembly of FIG. 2 withthe actuator engaging the housing in a closed position.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the control assembly of FIG. 2 withthe actuator engaging the housing in a open position.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a clickercartridge actuator.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional-view of the actuator of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a rotarycartridge actuator.

FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of the actuator of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a housing ofthe control assembly.

FIGS. 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views of the housing of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of anactuator.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the actuator of FIG. 9.

FIG. 10A is a cross-sectional view of the actuator of FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of anactuator.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of acontrol assembly having a rotary activated driving member engaged to thehousing.

FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view of the control assembly of FIG. 12.

FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the control assembly of FIG. 12,however, with a linear activated driving member engaged to the housing.

FIG. 12C is a cross-section al view of the control assembly of FIG. 12B.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the housing of the control assembly ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a driven member for use in a controlassembly, such as the control assembly of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15A is a perspective view of a rotary activated driving member foruse in a control assembly, such as the control assembly of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15B is a perspective view of the driving member of FIG. 15A with ahandle coupled thereto.

FIG. 15C is a perspective view of a linear activated driving member foruse in a control assembly, such as the control assembly of FIG. 12B.

FIG. 15D is a perspective view of the driving member of FIG. 15C with ahandle coupled thereto.

FIG. 16 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a drain valveassembly having a cable overload device, where the drain valve is shownin the open valve position.

FIG. 16A is a cross-sectional view of the drain valve assembly of FIG.16.

FIG. 17 is a side view of drain valve assembly of FIG. 16, shown in theclosed valve position.

FIG. 17A is a cross-sectional view of the drain valve of FIG. 17.

FIG. 18A is a cross-sectional view of an overload device for a drainvalve assembly, shown in the normal use position.

FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view of an overload device for a drainvalve assembly, shown in the loaded use position.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a mounting plate coupled to the housingof the control assembly with a portion of the bathing tub providedbetween the mounting plate and housing.

FIG. 20 is a front view of the mounting plate of FIG. 19.

FIGS. 21A-21D are perspective views of various exemplary embodiments ofescutcheons that may be interchangeably used to tailor the aesthetics ofthe drain system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With general reference to the Figures, disclosed herein are improveddrain systems for use in bathroom devices, such as bathing tubs, thatgenerally may include drain valve assemblies configured to switchbetween open and closed positions in order to permit or prohibit waterfrom flowing through the drain valve, such as from the basin of the tub.The drain systems may also include control assemblies that areconfigured to control the opening and closing of the drain valveassemblies through manipulation of an actuator by the user. The controlassemblies may be configured to receive different types of actuatorsthat have similarly configured key-way engaging features (or members) toprovide flexibility to the user to select a preferred method ofactuation without having to replace the portion of the control assemblythat is coupled to the bathroom device. For example, the user has theoption to utilize (or switch between) a linearly manipulated actuator ora rotary manipulated actuator for controlling the drain valve positionthrough the control assembly. Further the different actuators may beswitched without having to enlist the services of a professional andwithout the use of tools. The drain systems may further include cableassemblies that communicate between the control assemblies and the drainvalve assemblies to control the operation thereof. The cable assembliesmay be incorporated with an overload device or assembly to preventdamage to the drain system (e.g., the cable assembly), such as in theevent a user steps on an open drain valve. Additionally, the drain valvesystems disclosed herein may include aesthetic escutcheons, that may beeasily replaced by the user without having to replace any of thehardware (e.g., the control assemblies, the drain valve assemblies) toallow the user to tailor the aesthetics of the drain valve systems, suchas to match other fixtures in the bathroom, without the cost anddifficulty of replacing the hardware of the systems.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a drain system 10that generally includes a control assembly 11, a drain valve assembly13, and a cable assembly 15. The cable assembly 15 is configured tocommunicate an input to the control assembly 11, such as by a user, tocontrol the operation of the drain valve assembly 13. The drain system10 may be utilized within a bathroom device, such as a bathing tub, forcontrolling the opening and closing of the drain valve assembly 13through manipulation of the control assembly 11. In the open position,the drain valve assembly 13 permits liquid (e.g., water) to flow throughthe drain valve assembly 13 to exit the bathing tub. In the closedposition, the drain valve prohibits liquid (e.g., water) from flowingthrough the drain valve assembly 13, thereby retaining the liquid in thebasin of the bathing tub, such as to provide a bathing feature to theuser of the tub.

The drain system 10 may also include one or more drainpipes 17 to carryor transfer the water from the drain system 10 to the sewer system oranother component (e.g., plumbing) of the sewer system. For example, thedrain system 10 may include a first drainpipe 17 a and a seconddrainpipe 17 b, where the first drainpipe 17 a is in fluid communicationwith the overflow drain to transfer the water that enters the overflowdrain and where the second drainpipe 17 b is in fluid communication withthe drain valve assembly 13 to transfer the water that enters the drainvalve assembly 13. The first drainpipe 17 a and the second drainpipe 17b may meet, such as at an elbow connection, to be in fluid communicationwith each other and the drainpipe 17 c, which may transfer the water tothe sewer system. Accordingly, water that enters either the first orsecond drainpipes 17 a, 17 b may exit through drainpipe 17 c.

FIGS. 3-10A illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the control assembly11 (e.g., a drain control assembly). The control assembly 11 is shown asincluding a housing 20, a switching mechanism 21, and an actuator 22configured to selectively engage the housing 20 and to control theswitching mechanism 21. For example, the control assembly 11 may includea receiving member 24 that is disposed within the housing 20 and isconfigured to receive the actuator 22. The receiving member 24 may beformed separately from the housing 20 then coupled thereto or may beintegrally formed with the housing 20. When engaged with the receivingmember 24 in the housing 20, the actuator 22 is configured to be movedbetween a first position (e.g., open position), as shown in FIG. 5B, anda second position (e.g., closed position), as shown in FIG. 5A, tocorrespondingly move the drain valve assembly 13 between a first openposition and a second closed position through the cable assembly 15.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5A, 5B, the housing 20 may include a mounting base25 for fixing the housing 20 in place, such as to a wall 7 of thebathing tub or any suitable bathroom fixture. The housing 20 may alsoinclude an outer wall 26 that extends from the base 25 and a rearportion 27 that extends from the outer wall 26, whereby the outer wall26 and the rear portion 27 may enclose a switching mechanism 21 providedin the housing 20. The base 25 may include a stepped annular portionthat may be configured to be inserted into a hole in the wall of the tubto thereby engage the wall 7. The annular base 25 may include a centralopening 28 in which the actuator 22 may pass therethrough to engage aretaining channel 30 (e.g., a receiving portion) formed in the housing20. The base 25 may further include one or more openings or apertures,such as on the annular portion, for receiving fasteners to couple thehousing 20 to the bathroom fixture. The rear portion 27 may include anopening 29 that is configured to receive a portion of the cable assembly15. The opening 29 may be provided in the back of the rear portion,along the sides, or may be located anywhere on the rear portion 27. Inother words, the cable assembly 15 may extend in a rearward directionout the back of the housing 20 through the opening 29 in the rearportion 27 or may extend in a direction that is transverse to therearward direction out the sides, top, or bottom of the rear portion 27(or the housing 20).

The retaining channel 30 of the housing 20 is configured to receive andretain the actuator 22 to thereby permit manipulation of the actuator 22by a user to control the switching mechanism 21. The retaining channel30 may include an opening 31 that receives the actuator 22 or a portionthereof. Accordingly, the shape of the opening 31 may be varied and maybe tailored to accommodate the shape of the actuator 22 (or portion ofthe actuator 22), which may also be varied. As shown in FIGS. 8-8B, theopening 31 may include a circular portion and two opposing rectangularportions extending from the circular portion. The retaining channel 30may also include a passage 32 that extends from the opening 31 to allowthe portion of the actuator 22 that is inserted through the opening tomove through the passage 32. The passage 32 may be helical shaped, whereupon rotation or twisting of the actuator 22 the portion of the actuator22 that engages the retaining channel 30 moves along the passage 32 to aretaining position where the actuator 22 is selectively locked intoengagement with the receiving member 24 in the housing 20. The actuator22 may be configured to selectively lock into engagement with thereceiving member 24 upon a predetermined angular rotation, such that tounlock the actuator 22 from the housing 20 a threshold force needs to beapplied to the actuator (e.g., a compression force). The retainingchannel 30 may include a recess 33 at the end of the rotational travelthat is offset from the helical passage 32 in the direction that isopposite the direction the actuator 22 is inserted into engagement withthe housing 20. For example, the recess 33 may be in the form of a foreand aft extending cutout that is configured to receive and retain aportion (e.g., the member 155, 255) of the actuator.

The control assembly 11 may include a biasing member 35 provided in thehousing 20 to provide a force to bias the portion of the actuator 22that engages the retaining channel 30 of the housing 20 into the recess33 to lock the actuator 22 and the housing 20. The biasing member 35 maybe a spring, such as a coil spring or helical spring that may providethe force when compressed in an axial direction. The biasing member 35may be located in a cylindrical bore 34 within the housing 20, where thebore 34 is configured to retain the biasing member 35 in place, such asby limiting movement of the biasing member 35 in a direction that istransverse to the axial direction, but allows for the biasing member 35to move (e.g., compress, expand) in the axial direction. The biasingmember 35 may include a first end 36 and a second end 37, where thefirst end 36 engages the bore 34 of the housing 20 to limit travel ofthe biasing member 35 and the second end 37 is configured to apply thebiasing force to the actuator 22 directly or indirectly (such as throughan intermediate member).

The control assembly 11 may further include a seal or gasket 19 toprohibit the leaking of water. As shown in FIG. 3, the gasket 19 may beprovided between the base 25 of the housing 20 and the wall 7 of thebathing tub to prohibit the leaking of water therebetween. For example,the gasket 19 may be generally annular shaped to reside in an annularshaped groove formed between the base 25 and the wall 7. However, thegasket may be provided at any suitable location and may be configured tohave any suitable shape. Additionally, the control assembly 11 mayinclude a plurality of gaskets.

When the actuator 22 is inserted into the retaining channel 30 of thehousing 20, the biasing member 35 is compressed by the actuator 22storing energy within the biasing member 35. When the actuator 22 istwisted the predetermined angular rotation, such that the engagingfeatures of the actuator 22 are aligned with the recess 33, the biasingmember 35 releases stored energy to bias the engaging features of theactuator 22 into the selectively locked position with the recess 33. Tounlock the actuator 22 from the housing 20, the user applies enoughforce (e.g., a compression force of around 20 lbs) to overcome thebiasing force of the biasing member 35 that retains the engagingfeatures (e.g., the member 155, 255) of the actuator 22 into the recess33, which moves the engaging features into alignment with the passage 32where the user can disengage the actuator 22 from the housing 20 throughrotation of the actuator 22.

The control assembly 11 may also include a washer 38 provided as anintermediate member between the second end 37 of the biasing member 35and the actuator 22. The washer 38 may be configured to slide along thecylindrical bore 34 of the receiving member 24 in the housing 20 when aforce is applied on the washer 38, such as from the biasing member 35and/or from the actuator 22. The washer 38 may be cylindrical or annularshaped, such as to fit in the cylindrical bore, or may have any suitableshape to tailor the shape of the washer to the shape of the bore.

The switching mechanism 21 is configured to move a driving end 91 of thecable assembly 15 between the first open and second closed positions,upon activation by the actuator 22. The switching mechanism 21 mayinclude a sliding member 40 that is configured to move the driving end91 of the cable assembly 15 when the actuator 22 is activated. Thus, thesliding member 40 is configured to move (e.g., slide) in a bore of thereceiving member between a first and a second position, which correspondto the first and second positions of the switching mechanism 21. Thesliding member 40 may receive and/or may be coupled to the driving end91 of the cable assembly 15, such that movement of the sliding member 40results in a corresponding movement of the driving end 91 of the cable.As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the sliding member 40 may have an annularbase 41, an annular wall 42 that extends from the annular base 41, and acylindrical portion 43 that extends from the annular base 41. Thecylindrical portion 43 may include a bore 44 that is configured toreceive the driving end 91 of the cable. The sliding member 40 and thedriving end 91 of the cable may be coupled together using any suitablemethod, such as crimping. The cylindrical portion 43 may extend a lengthbeyond the annular base 41 to allow for enough length between thedriving end 91 of the cable and the sliding member 40 to provide a goodcrimp or couple.

The sliding member 40 of the switching mechanism 21 may be configured tobe received within a second bore 39 in the receiving member 24 in thehousing 20. The wall of the housing 20 that defines the second bore 39may be configured to guide the sliding member 40 during movement withinthe second bore 39 to allow for efficient relative movement between thehousing 20 and the sliding member 40.

The switching mechanism 21 may further include a seal 46 to prevent theexposure of the driving end 91 of the cable to water. The seal 46 maypreferably have a bellows shape, as shown, to accommodate the movement(e.g., compression, expansion) induced by the sliding member 40.However, the seal 46 may have any suitable shape that may prohibit theingress of water and accommodate the movement. The seal 46 may bedisposed in the second bore 39 in the receiving member 24 to enclose orpartially enclose the driving end 91 of the cable. The bellows shapedseal 46 may be resilient, such that the seal 46 may be compressed by thesliding member 40 when the sliding member 40 is moved toward the seal46, yet the seal 46 springs back to an uncompressed state when thesliding member 40 is moved away from the seal 46. Thus, the resilientseal 46 may provide a force to bias the sliding member 40, such as intothe first open position. The housing 20 (e.g., the rear portion 27) mayinclude a protrusion that guides the cable and further provides a lipfor an end of the seal 46 to engage (e.g., contact) to prevent ingressof water beyond the seal 46. The protrusion may be configured to retainthe end of the seal 46. The other end of the seal 46 may engage (e.g.,contact) the sliding member 40.

The housing 20 and the switching mechanism 21 together form an assembly(e.g., a rough-in assembly, a kit, subassembly, etc.), which providesthe function of the control assembly 11. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, anescutcheon 97 (e.g., faceplate) may be coupled to the control assembly11 to provide improved aesthetics to the drain system, whereby theaesthetics may be tailored to accommodate customer preference byswitching out escutcheons. The escutcheon 97 is discussed in greaterdetail below.

Additionally, the housing 20 of the control assembly 11 may beconfigured to act as the overflow for the drain system 10, where thehousing 20 may further include a drainpipe 17 a for draining water thatenters the overflow opening. The central opening 28 in the base 25 ofthe housing 20 may be the overflow opening, such that when the water inthe tub rises to a level that is above the central opening 28, the waterenters the central opening 28 and passes into the drainpipe 17 a to becarried to the sewer system. It should be noted that the controlassembly 11 may be configured to include an overflow opening that isseparate from the central opening 28, where the overflow opening may beconfigured in any suitable manner (e.g., shape, location, size, etc.).

The housing 20 of the control assembly 11 may be configured to receiveboth a clicker cartridge actuator 122, whereby the actuator 122 isactivated through linear manipulation by the user, and a rotarycartridge actuator 222, whereby the actuator 222 is activated throughrotary manipulation by the user. Thus, the control assembly 11 providesthe flexibility for the user to change the method of actuation of thedrain system without having to replace or modify the rough-in assembly.Accordingly, the user can tailor the actuation of the drain system 10 tohis or her own preferred method of actuation (e.g., linear, rotary),such as by simply switching between the actuator 122 and the actuator222. In addition, the drain systems disclosed herein allow for the userto tailor such actuation without having to rely on a professional toperform such a service. In fact, the user can switch the actuationmethod (e.g., the actuators) without the need of a tool or device toassist the user.

FIGS. 6 and 6A illustrate actuator 22, according to an exemplaryembodiment, shown as a clicker cartridge actuator 122 to selectivelyengage the receiving member 24 in the housing 20 and to control theswitching mechanism 21 of the control assembly 11. When engaged with thereceiving member 24, the actuator 122 may be moved between a first openposition and a second closed position through linear manipulation of theactuator 122. In the open position, the actuator 122 moves the drainvalve assembly 13 to an open position through the switching mechanism 21and the cable assembly 15, where water may drain through the drain valveassembly 13 from the bathing tub. In the closed position, the actuator122 moves the drain valve assembly 13 to a closed position through theswitching mechanism 21 and the cable assembly 15, where water isprohibited from draining through the drain valve assembly 13 andtherefore accumulates in the bathing tub. In other words, when linearlymoved between the first and second positions, the actuator 122 in turnmoves the sliding member 40 of the switching mechanism 21 between firstand second positions, which in turn moves the driving end 91 of thecable assembly 15 between first and second positions to open and closethe drain valve assembly 13.

The actuator 122 may include a body 148, an engaging feature 149, and abiasing member 150 that together may form a cartridge unit. The actuator122 may further include a handle 151 that is configured to engage thebody 148. The body 148 may be configured as a hollow cylinder that isopen on one end to receive the engaging feature 149 and the biasingmember 150 through the opening. The body 148 may include a couplingfeature 152, such as a threaded portion, for coupling the handle 151thereto. The coupling feature 152 may be provided on the end of the body148 that is opposite the open end. The body 148 may have a contactsurface 157 (e.g., on the open end of the body) that is configured tocontact the sliding member 40 of the switching mechanism 21, such thatmotion of the body 148 relative to the engaging feature 149 in turnmoves the sliding member 40. The engaging feature 149 may includecylindrical portion 154 configured to slide within the hollow body 148and a pair of members 155 that extend from opposing sides of the portion154. The member 155 may be any suitable shape, such as rectangular, todefine a key-way that engages the opening 31 of the housing 20. Uponrotation of the actuator 122, the members 155 move along the passage 32of the receiving member 24 in the housing 20 to selectively lock in therecess 33 to selectively engage the actuator 122 and the housing 20(e.g., receiving member 24).

The engaging feature 149 of the actuator 122 may also include a lockingfeature 156 that may selectively lock the actuator 122 into position,such as the first and/or second positions. As shown in FIG. 6 a, thelocking feature 156 may take the form of an A-shaped travel guide,wherein a pin coupled to (or an protrusion extending from) the body 148may pass therein. When the actuator is configured in the second closedposition, as shown in FIG. 5A, the pin of the body 148 resides in theupper apex 156 a of the A-shaped travel guide 156. When the body 148 ofthe actuator 122 is depressed (or compressed or moved) toward theengaging feature 149, the actuator may move from the second closedposition to the first open position, as shown in FIG. 5B, where the pinof the body 148 travels along the leg of the A-shaped travel guide 156to a lower corner, then upward along the base at an oblique angle toreside in the lower apex 156 b. When depressed (or activated), the body148 moves relative to the engaging feature 149, since the engagingfeature 149 is retained by the housing 20. To move the actuator back tothe second closed position from the first open position, the body 148 isdepressed (or compressed) thereby moving the pin of the body 148 alongthe base to a lower corner, then upward along the leg to the upper apex156 a. Thus, the actuator 122 is configured to move between the firstand second positions through linear manipulation of the actuator 122 bythe user, such as by linear motion of the body 148 relative to theengaging feature 149. Further, when the actuator 122 is moved betweenthe first and second positions, the contact surface 157 of the body 148is configured to move the sliding member 40 of the switching mechanism21 between corresponding first and second positions. It should be notedthat the configuration of the locking feature 156 and/or the engagingfeature 149 may be varied, and the embodiments disclosed herein are notlimiting.

The biasing member 150 may be a spring (e.g., a coil spring, a helicalspring, etc.) provided within the hollow cylinder of the body 148between the engaging feature 149 and the body 148 to impart a biasingforce that may act to move the body 148 and the engaging feature 149 inopposing directions. Thus, the force from the biasing member 150 may actto retain the pin of the body 148 within the upper apex 156 a or thelower apex 156 b to lock the actuator 122 into the respective closedposition or open position.

As discussed above, the actuator 122 may be configured to be selectivelycoupled or engaged with the receiving member 24 in the housing 20. Forexample, the actuator 122 may be selectively coupled to receiving member24 through applying a compression force, such as 20 lbs, in thedirection of coupling or engagement. The compression force may drive theengaging feature 149 of the actuator 122 to be selectively coupled tothe receiving member 24 (e.g., the passage 32 and the recess 33). Whenengaged with the receiving member 24, a user may actuate the actuator122 by applying an activation force, such as 10 lbs, in the direction ofactivation to switch the drain system between the open and closedpositions. The difference in the force to activate and the force tocouple the actuator allows for the directions of activation andengagement to be substantially similar (e.g., parallel) directions.However, it should be noted that the direction of activation may beconfigured to be different than the direction of engagement.

FIGS. 7 and 7A illustrate actuator 22, according to another exemplaryembodiment, shown as a rotary cartridge actuator 222 to selectivelyengage the receiving member 24 in the housing 20 and to control theswitching mechanism 21 of the control assembly 11. When engaged with thereceiving member 24, the actuator 222 may be moved between a first openposition and a second closed position through rotational manipulation ofthe actuator 222. In the open position, the actuator 222 moves the drainvalve assembly 13 to an open position through the switching mechanism 21and the cable assembly 15, where water may drain through the drain valveassembly 13 from the bathing tub. In the closed position, the actuator222 moves the drain valve assembly 13 to a closed position through theswitching mechanism 21 and the cable assembly 15, where water isprohibited from draining through the drain valve assembly 13 andtherefore accumulates in the bathing tub. In other words, whenrotationally moved between the first and second positions, the actuator122 in turn moves the sliding member 40 of the switching mechanism 21between first and second positions, which in turn moves the driving end91 of the cable assembly 15 between first and second positions.

The actuator 222 may include a body 248 and an engaging feature 249 thattogether may form a cartridge unit. The actuator 222 may further includea handle that is configured to engage the body 248. The body 248 may beconfigured to move relative to the engaging feature 249, such thatrotational motion of the body 248 is converted into linear translationof the body 248 toward or away from (depending on the direction ofrotation) the engaging feature 249. The engaging feature 249 may definea key-way having a cylindrical portion 254 with two members 255extending therefrom, such as from opposing sides of the cylindricalportion 254. Upon rotation of the actuator 222, the members 255 movealong the passage 32 of the receiving member 24 in the housing 20 toselectively lock in the recess 33 to selectively engage the actuator 222and the receiving member 24.

The engaging feature 249 of the actuator 222 may also include a lockingfeature that may selectively lock the actuator 222 into position, suchas in the first and/or second positions. The actuator 222 is configuredto move between the first and second positions through rotationalmanipulation of the actuator 222 by the user, such as by rotationalmotion of the body 248 relative to the engaging feature 249. Forexample, when the body 248 is rotated in a first rotational direction(e.g., clockwise), the body 248 may move linearly toward the engagingfeature 249, and when the body 248 is rotated in a second rotationaldirection (e.g., counter-clockwise), the body 248 may move linearly awayfrom the engaging feature 249. The body 248 may include a contactsurface 257, such that when the body 248 moves relative to the engagingfeature 249 the contact surface 257 moves the sliding member 40 of theswitching mechanism 21 a corresponding distance. Thus, rotational motionof the body 248 of the actuator 222 results in linear movement of thecontact surface 257 of the actuator 222 and the sliding member 40 thatis in contact with the contact surface 257.

The actuator 222 may further include a biasing member to provide abiasing force onto the actuator 222 or onto one or more portionsthereof, such as between the body 248 and the engaging feature 249. Thebiasing member may be a spring (e.g., a coil spring) that imparts abiasing force, such as to act to move the body 148 and the engagingfeature 149 in opposing directions, or may have any suitableconfiguration.

The actuators 122, 222 have similarly configured key-way features of theengaging features 149, 249 that are configured to engage the same (orcommon) receiving member 24 in the housing 20 and control the switchingmechanism 21 therein. This allows the user to switch between thelinearly activated actuator 122 and the rotary activated actuator 222based on the user preference. This provides flexibility to the user tobe able to have a preferred actuation method without having to replaceor modify the rough-in assembly (e.g., the hardware coupled to the wallof the fixture) or without having to enlist the services of aprofessional, such as to change actuators.

As shown in FIGS. 9-11, the actuator may be configured to include ahandle that the user manipulates to move the actuator between the firstand second positions. FIGS. 9-10A illustrate the actuator 22, accordingto another exemplary embodiment, shown as actuator 322. The actuator 322may include a body 348 and an engaging feature 349 that together mayform a cartridge unit. The actuator 322 may also include a handle 359and a lock ring 360 to secure the handle 359 to the body 348 of thecartridge unit. The actuator 322 is configured to provide heightadjustability (e.g., adjustment along the longitudinal axis of the body348) of the handle 359 relative to the body 348 without the assistanceof tools. Because the walls of the bathing tubs vary in thickness, theheight adjustability of the actuator 322 allows a common actuator 322 tobe used in conjunction with varying thickness tubs, while providing aproper fit between the tub and actuator 322.

The handle 359 may have any suitable shape and size, and may include asleeve 359 a that is configured to receive the lock ring 360 and/or thebody 348 of the cartridge unit. The sleeve 359 a of the handle 359 mayinclude one or more threads 359 b (e.g., ribs, projections, etc.) thatare configured to secure the handle 359 to the lock ring 360 and/or thebody 348. The threads 359 b may extend outwardly from the outer surfaceof the sleeve 359 a, may extend inwardly from the inner surface of thesleeve 359 a, or may extend having a combination thereof. Each thread359 b may extend any suitable length, such as an arc length that is lessthan the full circumference of the sleeve 359 a. For example, the sleeve359 a may include two threads 359 b (e.g., outwardly extending threads),where each thread 359 b extends only a portion of the circumference(e.g., about one-fifth to one-fourth of the total arc length). The lockring 360 has an opening 360 a that is similar to the shape and sizedefined by the sleeve 359 a and threads 359 b of the handle 359, so thatthe handle 359 may be inserted into the lock ring 360.

The body 348 of the actuator 322 may include external grooves 348 a(e.g., threads, splines, protrusions) that are separated by one or moreslots 348 b. The lock ring 360 includes arms 360 b that are configuredto slide in the slots 348 b, as the lock ring 360 moves (or slides)relative to the body 348. Accordingly, the coupled handle 359 and lockring 360 are able to slide along the length of the body 348 of theactuator 322, as the arms 360 b slide in the slots 348 b, to provideheight adjustability. Once the desired height of the handle 359 relativeto the body 348 is achieved, the handle 359 may be rotated relative toboth the lock ring 360 and the body 348, whereby the threads 359 b ofthe handle 359 engage the grooves 348 a of the body 348 to lock theposition of the handle 359. The lock ring 360 may have an engagingfeature (e.g., thread, recess, groove, channel, etc.) that receives thethreads 359 b when the handle is rotated. The arms 360 b may also imparta retaining force to secure the handle 359 to the body 348 of theactuator 322.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, the handle 459 may include internalthreads provided on an interior of the sleeve portion of the handle thatscrew over the external threads 452 of the body 438 to thereby couplethe handle 459 and body 438 together. The actuator 422 may furtherinclude a set screw 461 (or other suitable fastening device) to securethe handle 459 to the body 438 to prevent inadvertent relative rotationabout the engaged threads.

FIGS. 12-15D illustrate another exemplary embodiment of a controlassembly 511 that is configured to move a cable 513 between a firstposition and a second position, such that the first position maycorrespond to a first open position of a drain valve assembly where thewater is able to drain from the tub through the drain valve and thesecond position may correspond to a second closed position of the drainvalve assembly where the water is prohibited from draining from the tubthrough the drain valve. The control assembly 511 is configured toprovide flexibility to the user by allowing the user to change themethod of actuation between rotary and linear input methods, such as bychanging the driving member of the control assembly. In other words, theuser can tailor the actuation method of the control assembly 511 bysimply switching between a rotary activated driving member and a linearactivated driving member.

The control assembly 511 includes a housing 520 that is configured toselectively receive both a first driving member 518 that is activated(e.g., controls the function of the drain valve assembly) through rotarymovement and a second driving member 618 that is activated throughlinear movement. The control assembly 511 also includes a driven member519 that is configured to be moved by the driving member 518, 618 tocontrol the movement of the cable 513 between the first and secondpositions to control the function of the drain valve assembly. Thehousing 520 is configured to support the driving member 518 and/or thedriven member 519.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12C, the control assembly 511 may also includea biasing member 517. The biasing member 517 is configured to impart abiasing force into, for example, the driving member 518, such as to biasthe driving member 518 to aid in retaining the driving member 518 intoengagement with the housing 520. For example, the driving member 518 mayhave a key-way feature that passes into an opening of the housing,whereupon rotation of the driving member 518 the key way feature of thedriving member 518 is out-of-phase with the opening of the housing 520,such that a portion of the key-way is blocked by a portion of thehousing to prohibit removal of the driving member 518 from the housing520 (without further rotation). The biasing member 517 may impart aforce into the driving member 518 to retain it into position to therebymaintain engagement of the driving member 518 to the housing 520.

As shown in FIG. 13, the housing 520 may include a base 525 and a wall526 (e.g., a peripheral wall) that extends from the base 525. The base525 may define a first cavity 527, in which the driven member 519 pivotstherein, and a second cavity 528, in which the driving member 518rotates therein. The base 525 may also include an opening 529 (see FIG.12) for the cable 513 to pass therethrough, such as to engage the drivenmember 519. The first cavity 527 may include a post 530 to pivotallysupport the driven member 519. For example, the post 530 may be round inshape to engage a mating round hole in the driven member 519 to allowthe driven member 519 to pivot about the round post 530.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 15A, the rotary activated driving member 518includes an elongated body 532 and a contact surface 533, where the body532 defines a longitudinal axis 532 a. The driving member 518 alsoincludes an end 540 that is configured to be received by the secondcavity 528 of the housing 520, such that the driving member 518 mayslide axially along the longitudinal axis 532 a relative to the housing520 to selectively engage (e.g., connect) the driving member 518 to thehousing 520. The driving member 518 is also configured to rotate aboutthe longitudinal axis 532 a relative to the housing, such as to move thecable 513 through the driven member 519. The contact surface 533 maycontact the driven member 519, and may be configured having an obliqueangle relative to the longitudinal axis 532 a. The contact surface 533may also be configured to extend along an arm 534 extending from the end540. As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the driving member 518 may alsoinclude a feature for coupling a handle 544 thereto. For example, thebody 532 may include an aperture 541 in the end opposite the end thatengages the housing 520, wherein the aperture 541 may receive a fastenerfor coupling the handle to the driving member. As another example, thebody 532 may include grooves or threads that receive correspondinggrooves or threads in the handle, or may another connection, such asdiscussed herein.

As shown in FIGS. 12C and 15C, the linear activated driving member 618includes an elongated body 632 and a contact surface 633, where the body632 defines a longitudinal axis 632 a. The driving member 618 alsoincludes an end 640 that is configured to be received by the secondcavity 528 of the housing 520. For example, the end 640 may be circularin shape, and may include members 641 (e.g., semi-circular members)extending therefrom to form a key-way feature for selectively engagingthe driving member 618 to the housing 520. The driving member 618 isconfigured to slide axially along the longitudinal axis 632 a relativeto the housing 520 to selectively engage (e.g., connect) the drivingmember 618 to the housing 520. The body 632 of the driving member 618 isalso configured to move (e.g., slide) along the longitudinal axis 632 arelative to the end 640, such as to move the driven member 519 tothereby move the cable 513. The contact surface 633 is configured tocontact the driven member 519, and may be configured having an obliqueangle relative to the longitudinal axis 632 a. When the body 632 ismoved relative to the end 640, the contact surface 633 moves along theoblique surface (e.g., the ramp) of the contact surface 537 of thedriven member 519, causing the driven member 519 to rotate. As shown inFIG. 15D, the driving member 618 may also include a feature for couplinga handle 644 thereto.

As shown in FIG. 14, the driven member 519 may be an elongated memberhaving a first end 535, a second end 536, and a contact surface 537. Thefirst end 535 may include a round opening 538 that defines a pivot axis,in which the driven member 519 pivots thereabout. The size (e.g.,diameter) of the opening 538 in the first end 535 may be tailored tosize the post 530 in the first cavity 527, such that the driven member519 pivots in an efficient manner about the post 530 of the housing 520.The second end 536 may retain an end 513 a of the cable 513, such thatwhen the driven member 519 pivots about the post 530, the second end 536rotates relative to the first end 535 to thereby move the end 513 a ofthe cable 513 a predetermined length. The second end 536 may include aretaining feature 539 to retain the end 513 a of the cable 513. As shownin FIG. 12, the end 513 a of the cable 513 may include a ball-typefitting. Accordingly, the retaining feature 539 may be a sphericalshaped void that receives the ball-fitting of the end 513 a of the cable513. This configuration allows the ball-fitting to pivot relative to thesecond end 536 of the driven member 519, as the end 513 a is moved bythe pivoting driven member 519. As another example, the retainingfeature 539 may be generally cylindrical in shape having an L-shapedopening in the second end 536 to allow the ball-type fitting to beinserted into the retaining feature 539 wherein the L-shaped openingretains the cable. As shown in FIG. 12A, the contact surface 537 of thedriven member 519 is configured to contact the contact surface 533 ofthe driving member 518, such that rotation of the driving member 518causes the driven member 519 to pivot about the pivot axis of the firstend 535. The contact surface 537 of the driven member 519 may beconfigured at an oblique angle that is similar to the contact surface533 of the driving member 518, or may have any suitable configurationthat allows for the movement of the driven member 519.

The driving member 618 is configured to be moved (e.g., slide) betweenfirst and second positions, such as by a linear input manipulation by auser into the driving member 618 or a handle 644 coupled thereto.Movement of the driving member 618 between the first and secondpositions moves the driven member 519 and cable 513 coupled theretobetween the first and second positions of the cable 513. When thedriving member 618 is moved linearly along the longitudinal axis 632 a,such as between the first and second positions, the contact surface 633moves a corresponding amount, where the contact surface 633 of thedriving member 618 being in contact with the contact surface 537 of thedriven member 519 acts like a ramp to drive the rotation of the drivenmember 519 about the first end 535.

Alternatively, the driving member 518 is configured to be moved (e.g.,rotated) between third and fourth positions, such as by rotary inputmanipulation by a user. The driving member 518 is configured to rotateabout the longitudinal axis 532 a, such as relative to the second cavity528 of the housing 520, between the third and fourth positions to movethe driven member 519 and cable 513 coupled thereto between the firstand second positions of the cable 513. When the driving member 518 ismoved rotationally between the third and fourth positions, the arm 534rotates a corresponding amount, where the arm 534 acts like a lever toinduce movement (e.g., rotation) of the driven member 519 about the post530 of the housing 520. The contact surface 533 may extend along asurface of the arm 534, or alternatively the arm 534 may have a secondcontact surface that extends along a face of the arm 534 in a radialdirection from the body 532, where the second contact surface maycontact the driven member 519 to drive rotation of the driven member 519upon rotation of the driving member 518.

As the driven member 519 pivots about the post 530, the second end 536moves the retained end 513 a of the cable assembly 15. The second end536 of the driven member 519 is configured to pivot about an arc thatcorresponds to a change in length of the cable that moves the cablebetween first and second positions, which in turn switches the drainvalve assembly between the open and closed positions. Accordingly, itshould be noted that the arc length that the driven member pivots can bevaried to vary the change in length of the cable to accommodatedifferent cable stroke lengths, such as for different configurations ofdrain valve assemblies.

FIGS. 16-18B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the drain valveassembly 13. The drain valve assembly may include an overload device (orassembly) that is configured to limit the load (e.g., the force)transferred through the cable to the coupled components of the controlassembly and/or the drain valve assembly. In effect, the overload deviceprovides a designed safety margin to the components of the drain valveassembly. For example, if a person steps on the drain stopper, only aportion of the weight of the person may be transferred through the drainvalve assembly because a portion of the weight is managed through theoverload device.

The drain valve assembly 13 may include a housing 64, a drain stopper65, and a rotatable lever 66. The housing 64 may be coupled to abathroom device or fixture, such as to a bathing tub, and may supportthe drain stopper 65 and the rotatable lever 66. The drain stopper 65may be configured to move between a first open position and a secondclosed position. In the open position, the drain stopper 65 allows waterto drain through the drain valve assembly 13 from the bathing tub, suchas through a drain hole or opening. In the closed position, the drainstopper 65 prohibits water from draining through the drain valveassembly 13 to allow water to accumulate, such as in the basin of thebathing tub. The rotatable lever 66 is configured to be rotated, such asby movement of the cable assembly 15, to in turn move the drain stopper65 between the open and closed positions.

The housing 64 may include a base 68 for fixing the housing 64 in place,such as to a wall 7 or an opening in the wall of the bathing tub or toany suitable bathroom fixture. The base 68 may be annular in shapehaving an opening, such as the central opening 68 a, to allow the drainstopper 65 to pass therethrough, as well to allow the water from the tubto enter the housing 64, such as when the drain stopper 65 is the openposition. The housing 64 may also include an outer wall 69 that extendsfrom the base 68 to form or define a cavity 70 therein. The wall 69 mayhave an annular or tubular cross-section (e.g., circular) that extendshaving any suitable shape (e.g., linear, elbow, curved). The cavity 70is in fluid communication with the opening 68 a in the base 68, suchthat water entering the housing 64 through the opening 68 a passes intocavity 70. The end of the wall 69 (e.g., the end that is opposite to theend that abuts the base) may be coupled to a drainpipe, such as thedrainpipe 17 b (as shown in FIG. 1), whereby the cavity 70 may be influid communication with a cavity that is defined by a drainpipe, suchas drainpipe 17 b. The wall 69 may include a support 69 a that may beconfigured to support and/or guide the drain stopper 65. The wall 69 mayalso include an opening 69 b that may be configured to receive a portionof the rotatable lever 66.

The drain stopper 65 may include a cap 65 a and a post 65 b that extendsfrom the bottom surface of the cap 65 a. The cap 65 a may be configuredto cover the drain hole in the tub wall 7 (e.g., the floor, the bottom),the opening 68 a in the housing 64, or both when the drain stopper 65 isin the closed position. The drain stopper 65 may also include a sealingmember or portion 71 that may be provided below the cap 65 a to prohibitthe escape of water through the drain valve assembly 13 when the drainstopper 65 is in the closed position. The sealing member 71 may beintegrally formed with the drain stopper 65 or may be formed separatelyand coupled thereto, and may be made from any suitable material, such asfrom a resilient material. The post 65 b of the drain stopper 65 may beconfigured as a circular shape or any suitable shape. The support 69 aof the wall 69 of the housing 64 may include a bore to guide the post 65b, as the drain stopper 65 moves between the open and closed positions.

The rotatable lever 66 is configured to move the drain stopper 65between the open and closed positions, when driven to movement, such asby the cable assembly 15. The rotatable lever 66 may include a shaft 66a (e.g., body) having a first (e.g., inner) arm 66 b and a second (e.g.,outer) arm 66 c that extend from the shaft 66 a. The shaft 66 a may passthrough the opening 69 b of the wall 69 of the housing 64, wherein thewall 69 may act as a bearing or guide for efficient rotation of therotatable lever 66 relative to the housing 64. The first arm 66 b may beconfigured to reside in the cavity 70 of the housing 64 and have adistal end that is configured to contact the drain stopper 65 to movethe drain stopper 65 between open and closed positions that correspondto movement of the rotatable lever 66. The second arm 66 c may beconfigured to reside outside of the wall 69 of the housing 64 (e.g.,outside the cavity 70), in order to be coupled to another device that isconfigured to move the second arm 66 c to thereby rotate the rotatablelever 66 to move the drain stopper 65 between the open and closedpositions. The second arm 66 c may include a distal end having anopening that receives a lever, wherein the lever may move the second arm66 c between an open position, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 16A, and aclosed position, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 17A. For example, the secondarm 66 c may be coupled to an overload device, such as discussed herein.

The drain valve assembly 13 may further include a seal or gasket 73 toprohibit the leaking of water. As shown, the gasket 73 may be providedbetween the base 68 of the housing 64 and the wall 7 of the bathing tubto prohibit the leaking of water therebetween. However, the gasket maybe provided at any suitable location. Additionally, the drain valveassembly 13 may include a plurality of gaskets.

The drain valve assembly 13 may also include a biasing member 74 toprovide a force to bias the rotatable lever 66. The biasing member 74may bias the rotatable lever 66 in the direction of closing or in thedirection of opening. The biasing member 74 may be configured as aspring (e.g., coil spring, clock spring, extension spring, helicalspring, etc.) or may have any suitable configuration that imparts abiasing force into the rotatable lever 66.

An escutcheon (e.g., faceplate) may be coupled to the drain valveassembly 13 to provide improved aesthetics to the drain system 10,whereby the aesthetics may be tailored to accommodate customerpreference by switching out escutcheons. The escutcheon is discussed ingreater detail below.

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an overloaddevice 76 (e.g., overload assembly). As shown, the overload device 76may be provided between the cable assembly 15 and the drain valveassembly 13 to manage overloading in the cable, such as when a personsteps on the drain stopper 65 when the drain stopper 65 is configured inthe open position. The overload device 76 may include a linking member77, a sleeve 78, and an energy absorber 79. The linking member 77 may becoupled to the rotatable lever 66, whereby movement of the linkingmember 77 may drive movement (e.g., rotation) of the rotatable lever 66.The sleeve 78 may be configured to house the energy absorber 79, aportion of the linking member 77, and a portion of the cable assembly 15to act as a guide to maintain alignment of the portion of the cableassembly 15 and the linking member 77, as well as the energy absorber79.

The linking member 77 may include a first end 81 and a second end 82.The second end 82 may be coupled to the rotatable lever 66, wherebymovement of the linking member 77 drives movement of the lever 66. Forexample, the second end 82 of the linking member 77 may be pivotallycoupled to the second arm 66 c of the rotatable lever 66, wherebysubstantially linear movement of the linking member 77 drives rotationof the lever 66 about the shaft 66 a. As shown in FIG. 18A, the firstend 81 may be coupled to the sleeve 78, such as through a threadedengagement, whereby the linking member 77 and the sleeve 78 may operate(e.g., move) together. For example, the outer surface of the first end81 may include external threads that engage internal threads on theinner surface of the sleeve 78.

The sleeve 78 may be configured as a hollow cylindrical member having abore 84. The bore 84 may pass through the entire length of the sleeve 78and may be configured to receive the energy absorber 79, a portion ofthe linking member 77, and/or a portion of the cable assembly 15. Forexample, the bore 84 may have internal threads that are engaged byexternal threads on the first end 81 of the linking member 77. As shownin FIG. 18A, the cable assembly 15 may include a plunger 93 that iscoupled to the driven end 92 of the cable 90, such that movement of thecable 90 moves the plunger 93 in the corresponding direction acorresponding length. The bore 84 (e.g., the end of the bore 84 that isopposite the end coupled to the linking member 77) may receive theplunger 93, wherein the plunger 93 may move within the bore 84 relativeto the sleeve 78.

The energy absorber 79 may be provided in the bore 84 between theplunger 93 and the first end 81 of the linking member 77, wherein theenergy absorber 79 is configured to manage (e.g., absorb) a load orforce transferred through the overload device 76. As shown in FIG. 18A,the energy absorber 79 may be a spring, such as an extension spring orcoil spring, that absorbs force by compressing and storing energytherein. As shown in FIG. 18B, the outer end of the plunger 93 may beconfigured with a bore to receive one end of the energy absorber 79,while the first end 81 of the linking member 77 may include an opposingbore to receive the other end of the energy absorber 79. Thisconfiguration helps maintain the alignment between the plunger 93, theenergy absorber 79, and the linking member 77, while efficientlytransferring loads to the energy absorber 79. Thus, motion can beefficiently transferred through the energy absorber 79 and the overloaddevice 76, such as to drive the opening or closing of the drain valveassembly 13, while absorbing loads in an overload condition.

During an overload condition, the energy absorber 79 may be configuredto absorb any load or force greater than a threshold load (e.g., 30 lbs)that is imparted onto the drain stopper 65 and transfer only thethreshold load (e.g., 30 lbs) to the cable assembly. The drain valveassembly 13 may be configured such that any additional load impartedinto the drain stopper 65 beyond the threshold load causes the drainstopper 65 to contact the wall 7 of the bathroom fixture (or anysuitable structural member) to thereby transfer the additional loadsdirectly into the fixture. For example, if 300 lbs are imparted onto thedrain stopper 65 when in the open position, the energy absorber onlytransfers the threshold load (e.g., 30 lbs of the 300 lbs), while theremaining load (e.g., 270 lbs) are transferred directly into the bathtubfrom the drain stopper 65. It should be noted that the threshold load(e.g., the force) that is managed through the overload device 76 may bevaried, as well as any maximum load that the drain system may beconfigured to withstand, and that the weights and loads disclosed hereinare examples and are not limiting. Additionally, the overload device 76may be configured to include devices other than (or in addition to)springs, such as dampers or dashpots, which may help absorb or dissipateenergy.

The drain system (e.g., the cable assemblies) may include an overloaddevice 76 to prevent damage to the drain system (e.g., the cableassembly), such as in the event a person steps on a drain stopper in theopen position. For example, if a person steps on the drain stopper 65when configured in the open position, such as shown in FIG. 16, theweight of the person may move the drain stopper 65 toward the closedposition, as shown in FIG. 17. The force imparted from the mass of theperson to the drain stopper 65 is transferred from the drain stopper 65to the rotatable lever 66 of the drain valve assembly 13, which in turntransfers the force to the linking member 77 of the overload device 76,causing the linking member 77 to move with the lever 66 relative to theplunger 93 of the cable assembly 15. The overload device 76 (e.g., theenergy absorber 79) is configured to absorb a predetermined amount offorce or load (e.g., a threshold force) to prohibit the full force ofthe weight of the person from being transferred directly to the cableassembly 15 and the control assembly 11, because the cable assembly 15and the control assembly 11 are still configured in the open position.By reducing the overload forces that are transferred to the controlassembly 11 through the cable assembly 15 from the drain valve assembly13, the overload device 76 reduces the chance of damage to the drainsystem 10 (e.g., the control assembly 11, the drain valve assembly 13,the cable assembly 15).

The overload device 76 also allows for the use of lower strength andlower mass materials, such as polymers and plastics, for components ofthe drain system that have traditionally been made from stronger andhigher mass materials. The overload device 76 absorbs energy to reducethe force that is transferred or communicated through the cable. Bytransferring less force through the system, the components that are inthe load path, such as the sliding member 40 and actuator 22 of thecontrol assembly 11 as well as the drain stopper 65 and rotatable lever66 of the drain valve assembly 13, see less force and, therefore, may beconfigured to manage the reduced load by having a reduction in mass.

For example, without the overload device 76 and the energy absorber 79therein, the force transferred to the linking member may be directlytransferred to the end of the cable without any reduction in energy.This may result in damage to the control assembly (e.g., the actuator),the cable assembly, and/or to the drain valve assembly (e.g., the drainstopper).

According to another embodiment, the plunger that is coupled to thecable may also be coupled to the sleeve, such that the sleeve andplunger move together as one, while the linking member may move relativeto the sleeve. For example, the plunger may include external threads toengage internal threads in the sleeve, while the linking member may havea smooth outer surface that slides along the inner surface of the boreof the sleeve.

The cable assembly 15 may include a cable 90 that may be provided withina conduit 16 (e.g., sheath, casing, etc.) to reduce the friction toimprove efficiency of the cable 90. The cable assembly 15 may be routedoutside of the drainpipes (e.g., drainpipe 17 b) of the drain system 10,such as shown in FIG. 1, where the cable assembly 15 may communicate(e.g., motion) from the control assembly 11 to the drain valve assembly13. Alternatively, the cable assembly may be configured to be routedinside one or more of the drainpipes of the drain system to communicatemotion.

The cable 90 may include a wire that may be wound like a spring to havea spring like function, or may be configured using any suitable mannerto communicate motion. The cable 90 having a wound wire configurationallows for the cable to turn at sharp or abrupt angles (e.g., 90degrees) over relative short distances (e.g., small radii), whileretaining a relative high efficiency. Accordingly, the cable may berouted out the back of the rear portion 27 of the housing 20 in agenerally straight direction, as shown in FIG. 5A, or may be routed outthe back of the rear portion 27 and turn at any angle, such as turn atninety degrees to route in a downwardly direction adjacent to thedrainpipe 17 a.

The cable 90 may include a driving end 91 and a driven end 92, wherebythe cable 90 is configured to transfer motion from the driving end 91 tothe driven end 92 to communicate the input manipulation by a person(e.g., user) from the control assembly 11 to the drain valve assembly13. As shown in FIG. 5A, the driving end 91 may be coupled to thecontrol assembly 11, such as to the sliding member 40 of the controlassembly 11. Accordingly, manipulation of the actuator 22 between theopen and closed positions, may move the sliding member 40 thereby movingthe driving end 91 of the cable 90 between corresponding open and closedpositions. As shown in FIG. 18A, the driven end 92 of the cable 90 maybe coupled to the plunger 93, whereby movement of the driven end 92results in a corresponding movement of the plunger 93.

The cable assembly 15 may further include one or more fittings 94. Thefittings 94 may be configured to retain the cable assembly 15 by fixinga portion thereof to another component. For example, the fittings 94 maybe coupled to the conduit 16 of the cable assembly 15, such that theends 91, 92 may move relative to the fittings 94 and/or the conduit.Each fitting 94 may also be configured to attach (e.g., couple) to afixed member, such as the housing of the drain valve assembly.

The cable assemblies disclosed herein, such as cable assembly 15, may beused in conjunction with either actuator 22 of the control assembly 11to control the opening and the closing of the drain valve assembly 13.For example, the cable assembly 15 that is configured to be routed outthe back of the rear portion 27 of the housing 20 of the controlassembly 11 may be moved by a rotary actuator, such as actuator 222.Accordingly, the user may input a rotational manipulation to therebyrotate the actuator 222 to move (e.g., pull, push) the cable to open andclose the drain stopper 65 of the drain valve assembly 13.Alternatively, the user may install the linear actuator 122, whereby theuser may input a linear manipulation to thereby move the cable to openand close the drain stopper 65 of the drain valve assembly 13.

FIGS. 19-20 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a mounting plate 95that is configured to be coupled to the control assembly 11 (e.g., themounting base 25 of the housing 20) to provide for mounting of anescutcheon 97 thereto. The mounting plate 95 may mount to the externalsurface of the wall 7 of the bathroom device or fixture, and may becoupled to the control assembly 11 through any suitable method, such asconventional fasteners (e.g., screw, bolt). The mounting plate 95 may beannular shaped to engage an annular hole in the wall 7 of the fixture,wherein the annular shaped mounting plate 95 may include an opening 95 ato allow the actuator 22 to pass therethrough, such as to permit theactuator 22 to engage the housing 20 and/or the switching mechanism 21.The mounting plate 95 may further include one or more than one tab 95 b,which may provide for selective coupling of the escutcheon 97. Forexample, the mounting plate 95 may include a plurality of tabs 95 b thatare circumferentially configured around the mounting plate 95 at variousangular travels or distances.

A mounting plate 195 may be configured to be coupled to the drain valveassembly 13 to provide for mounting of an escutcheon thereto. Themounting plate 195 may mount to the external surface of a wall (e.g.,lower wall) of the bathroom device using any suitable method, and themounting plate 195 may include one or more tabs to allow for coupling ofan escutcheon thereto. The mounting plate 95 for the control assembly 11and the mounting plate 195 for the drain valve assembly 13 may besimilarly configured or may be configured differently. For example, themounting plates 95, 195 may include a similar number of tabs that arelocated at common locations (e.g., diameter, angular distance, radialdistance), whereby a common escutcheon (e.g., the escutcheon 97) may becoupled to one or both of the mounting plate 95, 195. However, themounting plates 95, 195 may be configured to be dissimilar, such as byhaving different diameters or differently configured tabs (e.g., number,location).

Additionally, the drain valve systems and the control assemblies, asdisclosed herein, may include aesthetic escutcheons that may be easilyreplaced by the customer without having to replace any of the hardware,such as the housings of the control assemblies and/or the drain valveassemblies or portions thereof below the wall of the bathroom fixture,to allow the user to tailor the aesthetics of the drain valve systems,such as to match other fixtures in the bathroom, without the cost anddifficulty of replacing the hardware of the systems. In effect, thecustomer may give the fixture a “face-lift” at minimal expense andlabor, simply by replacing the escutcheon.

FIGS. 21A-21D illustrate exemplary embodiments of escutcheons 97, 197,297, 397. The escutcheons 97, 197, 297, 397 are configured to be able tobe selectively coupled to the mounting plates 95, 195, such as, forexample, by snapping over the tabs of the mounting plates. Theescutcheons 97, 197, 297, 397 may include a feature, such as a pocket orhook on the backside to receive the mounting tab of the mounting plate.The escutcheon and/or the mounting plate may be configured to beflexible in order to allow flexing when the escutcheon is coupled to themounting plate. Accordingly, the escutcheon may be secured or coupled tothe mounting plate using an interference fit, and the escutcheon andmounting plate can accommodate a relative greater variation (e.g.,tolerance) of the wall of the bathroom fixture. The escutcheon (e.g.,outer surface) may be configured having a decorative design and/or maybe made from a material (e.g., brass, stainless steel) to improve theaesthetics of the drain system.

The configuration of the escutcheon and the mounting plate allows forthe customer to thereby tailor the aesthetics of the drain system simplyby replacing the current escutcheon with another escutcheon having apreferred appearance. For example, the customer may remove theescutcheon 97 and install in its place the escutcheon 197 to therebytailor the aesthetics of the drain system without replacing anyhardware, such as the rough-in assembly or the mounting plate.

As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”,and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony withthe common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art towhich the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should beunderstood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure thatthese terms are intended to allow a description of certain featuresdescribed and claimed without restricting the scope of these features tothe precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms shouldbe interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequentialmodifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimedare considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in theappended claims.

It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describevarious embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments arepossible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possibleembodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that suchembodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).

The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean thejoining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Suchjoining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removableor releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or thetwo members and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two membersor the two members and any additional intermediate members beingattached to one another.

References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,”“above,” “below,” etc.) are merely used to describe the orientation ofvarious elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientationof various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments,and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the presentdisclosure.

It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of thedrain systems as shown in the various exemplary embodiments isillustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been describedin detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review thisdisclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible(e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes andproportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mountingarrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) withoutmaterially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of thesubject matter described herein. For example, elements shown asintegrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, theposition of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the natureor number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied.The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied orre-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions,modifications, changes and omissions may also be made in the design,operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplaryembodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cable overload device for a cable-actuateddrain system that includes a drain valve assembly and a drain controlassembly where the cable includes a driving end connected to the controlassembly and a driven end, the overload device comprising: a plungerconfigured to be coupled to the driven end of the cable; a linkingmember configured to move the drain valve assembly between open andclosed positions; a sleeve having a bore that extends from a first sideto a second side of the sleeve, wherein the bore is configured toreceive the plunger through the first side and to receive the linkingmember through the second side; and an energy absorber provided in thebore between the plunger and the linking member to absorb a forceimposed into the linking member from the drain valve assembly; whereinthe linking member is coupled to the sleeve to prevent relative motionbetween the linking member and the sleeve.
 2. The overload device ofclaim 1, wherein the linking member includes a first end that is coupledto the sleeve to prevent relative motion between the linking member andthe sleeve.
 3. The overload device of claim 2, wherein the linkingmember further includes a second end that is configured to move thedrain valve assembly between open and closed positions.
 4. The overloaddevice of claim 3, wherein a rotatable lever is driven to rotate bymovement of the linking member, which in turn moves a drain valveassembly between the open and closed positions.
 5. The overload deviceof claim 2, wherein the plunger is free to move in the bore relative tothe sleeve when driven by movement of the cable.
 6. A cable overloaddevice for a cable-actuated drain system that includes a drain valveassembly and a drain control assembly where the cable includes a drivingend connected to the control assembly and a driven end, the overloaddevice comprising: a plunger configured to be coupled to the driven endof the cable; a linking member configured to move the drain valveassembly between open and closed positions; a sleeve having a bore thatextends from a first side to a second side of the sleeve, wherein thebore is configured to receive the plunger through the first side and toreceive the linking member through the second side; and an energyabsorber provided in the bore between the plunger and the linking memberto absorb a force imposed into the linking member from the drain valveassembly; wherein the plunger is coupled to the sleeve to preventrelative motion between the plunger and the sleeve.
 7. The overloaddevice of claim 6, wherein movement of the cable moves the coupledplunger and sleeve.
 8. The overload device of claim 6, wherein thelinking member is free to move in the bore relative to the sleeve. 9.The overload device of claim 2, wherein an outer surface of the firstend of the linking member is coupled through threads to an inner surfaceof the bore of the sleeve.
 10. The overload device of claim 1, whereinthe linking member is integrally formed with the sleeve to preventrelative motion between the linking member and the sleeve.
 11. A drainvalve system for a fixture, comprising: a housing configured to mount toa wall of the fixture and having an opening; a drain stopper configuredto move within the opening between an open position and a closedposition; a lever pivotally coupled to the housing and including a firstarm and a second arm, the first arm being configured to move the drainstopper upon rotation of the lever; a cable having a driven end and adriving end that is connected to a drain control assembly configured tomove the cable; and a cable overload device comprising: a plungercoupled to the driven end of the cable; a linking member having a firstend and a second end coupled to the second arm of the lever, such thatmovement of the linking member rotates the lever; a sleeve having afirst side that receives the driven end and a second side that receivesthe linking member; and an energy absorber disposed between the plungerand the linking member to absorb a force imposed into the linking memberfrom the drain stopper; wherein the sleeve is configured to move withone of the plunger and the linking member relative to the other of theplunger and the linking member.
 12. The drain valve system of claim 11,wherein the sleeve includes a bore that extends from the first side tothe second side of the sleeve.
 13. The drain valve system of claim 12,wherein the energy absorber is provided in the bore of the sleeve. 14.The drain valve system of claim 11, wherein the first end of the linkingmember is coupled to the sleeve to prevent relative motion between thelinking member and the sleeve.
 15. The drain valve system of claim 14,wherein the plunger is free to move relative to the sleeve when drivenby movement of the cable.
 16. The drain valve system of claim 12,wherein the plunger is free to move in the bore relative to the sleevewhen driven by movement of the cable.
 17. The drain valve system ofclaim 11, wherein the plunger is coupled to the sleeve to preventrelative motion between the plunger and the sleeve.
 18. The drain valvesystem of claim 17, wherein movement of the cable moves the coupledplunger and sleeve, and wherein the linking member is free to moverelative to the sleeve.
 19. The drain valve system of claim 14, whereinthe first end of the linking member is coupled through threads to thesleeve.
 20. A cable overload device for a cable-actuated drain systemthat includes a drain stopper and a control assembly, the overloaddevice comprising: a cable having a driven end and a driving endconnected to the control assembly; a linking member configured to movethe drain stopper between an open position and a closed position; asleeve having a first side that receives the driven end and a secondside that receives the linking member; and an energy absorber providedbetween the driven end and the linking member to absorb a force imposedinto the linking member from the drain stopper; wherein the linkingmember is coupled to the sleeve to prevent relative motion between thelinking member and the sleeve.
 21. The overload device of claim 20,wherein the driven end includes a plunger, and wherein the first side ofthe sleeve receives the plunger.
 22. The overload device of claim 20,wherein the sleeve includes a bore that extends from the first side tothe second side, and wherein the bore receives the driven end throughthe first side and receives the linking member through the second side.23. The overload device of claim 20, wherein the linking member includesa first end that is coupled to the sleeve to prevent relative motionbetween the linking member and the sleeve.
 24. The overload device ofclaim 23, wherein the driven end is free to move relative to the sleevewhen driven by movement of the cable.
 25. A cable overload device for acable-actuated drain system that includes a drain stopper and a controlassembly, the overload device comprising: a cable having a driven endand a driving end connected to the control assembly; a linking memberconfigured to move the drain stopper between an open position and aclosed position; a sleeve having a first side that receives the drivenend and a second side that receives the linking member; and an energyabsorber provided between the driven end and the linking member toabsorb a force imposed into the linking member from the drain stopper;wherein the driven end is coupled to the sleeve to prevent relativemotion between the driven end and the sleeve, and wherein movement ofthe cable moves the coupled driven end and sleeve.
 26. The overloaddevice of claim 25, wherein the linking member is free to move relativeto the sleeve.